Toy



Nov. ll, 1 941; Y F. HAMMOND v TY 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed sepj. 24, 1940 INVENTOR F. HAMMOND TOY Filed Sept. 24, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' INVENTOR Patented Nov. 11,1941

UNITED i STATES PATENT OFFICE i 27,262,395 l Y `'roi7 y Frank Hammond, Boonton, N. J.

` 24, 11940,ser'ia1NalassMs (orte-Lac) This invention relates to toys intwhich a doll j Application September io'olaims.

representing a man is provided with a pack for enclosing a folded `.parachute which isattached to the dolly; and also with suitable timing and tripping mechanism adapte'dto release the parachute following the shooting of the dollupwardly into the air.

An object of the invention isito provide sim plified `means for pcsitivelyliberating the parachute from the pack justas the 'doll `reaches the peak of its upward ilight.

Another `object Vof lthe 'invention is to provide means for manually 4holding the mechanism in a cocked 'position when the toy is grasped by `a hand to impel the same into the air.` Y

A further object of the invention `resides in means for automatically holding the mechanism in a partly cockediposition so that the operation of packing the parachute may be accomplished withthe use of both hands.

Another object of the invention is t-o provide means for'adjusting the mechanism to change the timing increment in order to compensate for any lack of uniformity in the manufacture thereof, and `also to `effect the freeing of the parachute at the end of 'shorter or longerfli'ghts as may be desired.

Further objects andadvantageous features of the invention" will appear `fthroughout thefollowing specification.

The invention willv be ir'n'ore 'fully understood by reference to the: drawings `forming a part' of 'thisV specification, `andin which,

Figure 1 `is a 'rearfelevation of my improved toy, partly broken away to show `the mechanism to greater advantage, the flaps 4of thepack being indicated in broken lines in an open or extended position, and the mechanism being shown ina partly cocked position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, or "the parts shown in 'Figure l; but showing 'the parachute folded withirrth'epack. .i l

Figure 3 is anenlargeid fragmentary section on the line 3 3 of'Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary 'elevation of the end of one of the ap's vof the pack.

Figure 5 is a miniature elevation of the toy with the parachute extended.

Figure `6V is a view similar to Figure Yi showing a modified form of. theinvention. l

Figure 'l is a view` similar to AFigure/3, but

and,

and partly in section, y

embodying the modification shown.i-nFigure` 6,

Figure 8 is a detail section on the im@` fa-la of Figure `7. Y

in detail to the drawings, I0

Referring new represents the doll which is4 shaped to resemble an. aviator having a bod-y ll, head l2 and legs i3. qtmay be made of any `suitable material, but cellulose acetate has been found to be. appropriatebecause -of its strength, durability, cheapness or` manufacture, and adaptability to hollowformation molding to reduce weight in order to preclude the necessity -oitoo large a parachute topajok within the limited space available for this purpose. i i t 1,

` A weight of approximatelyone ounce has been 'found toibe practical for the effective shooting of the toy, and its proper rate of speed in descending. l

`T-heback of-the doll isfprovided with a rectilinear recess I4 having sloping upper and lower walls I5 and` t6, and straight side walls I1 and Hl.` The bottom Wall I9 of the recess I4` has an opening 20 therethrough leading into the hollow linteriornof the doll, and which .is closed by a rectangular plate 2l with the edges thereof overlapping the edges ofthe opening 2i). Plate 2| maybe secured to the doll by means of a bolt 22 which passes through it and is threaded into the frontwall of the body l l.

The'plate 2Igisuti1-ized to support on one of itssides a pack or casing 23 tor enclosing a parachute fP havingshrouds P `secured to `it `in the conventional manner, and to the neck of i the doll. On the other'side of the plate there is supported a part of the parachute releasing mechanism which is thus located within the doll and hereinafter to bel described.

Thepack 23 `is preferably made of cloth and `consists of a` single piece or material out to provideV -four oppositely disposed flaps 24, 25, 26 and-21,` respectivelydesignated to correspond to the -order `in which they are consecutively wrapped overand about the folded parachute as shown in Figure 2, and `which are indicated in'brokenlines in lFigure. 1 in an open position. The pack may be -secured to the outside surface of `the` plate 2l in anyfsuitable manner, such fori-example, -as by a `proper adhesive. A clip -2f8.is attached Vto the outerextremity of the nap 2T asby prongs 29 passed. through the cloth ,and `then bent as shown in Figure 4;. The clip 28`-is` stepped, as at 30 for engagement with the lower edge of a `slot 2l. adjacent the top vof plate 2|, asishown in -Figures 1,- 2 and, to

4hold the parachute securely within the-pack 23,

as best shown in Figure 2.

cocked position, as shown in Figure l.

Mechanism is provided for lifting the clip 28 from the position shown in Figure 2, to enable the flaps to fall away and liberate the parachute. For this purpose there is shown a cooking lever 3| pivoted on the inside of plate 2| at 32, and one end 3|' of which projects beyond one side of the doll I through a slot 33. Lever 3| is pivoted adjacent its other end 3|, as at 34, to the upper end of a rod 35 having a piston 36 secured to its opposite end and slidable within a cylinder 31. Piston 36 is provided with a leather cup washer 36 which fits within the surrounding walls of the cylinder 31 loosely enough to by-pass air in either direction of its movement, but more freely during its downward movement.

Cylinder 31 is pivoted at its lower end, as at 38, to the plate 2|, and its upper end is closed with a plug 39 through which the rod 35 may slide with a loose t to permit the passage of air as well.

Lever 3| is provided with a plurality of notches 40 along its upper edge between the pivot 32 and its outer end 3|', for selective engagement with the looped end of a coil spring 4|, the opposite end of which is looped over the end of pivot -38 projecting beyond the cylinder 31.

From the foregoing it will now be apparent that lever 3| may be manually rocked from the position shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 3 to that shown in full lines, by lifting the end 3|. This movement stretches the spring 4| and lowers the piston 36 in the cylinder 31, and any air so displaced will be forced past the cup was-her 36'. However, during the return movement of lever 3| under the urge of spring 4|, a partial vacuum will be established below the piston thus retarding its upward movement in the cylinder commensurate with the power of the spring and the rate at which air can again pass the piston to permit it to slowly reach the end of its upward stroke. This retarded movement of the mechanism toward a position in which it can trip the clip 28 provides an interval of time during which the doll may reach a suitable altitude before the freeing of the parachute takes place.

Means are provided for latching the lever 3| in an intermediate position in which the mechanism may be held independently of the operator in what may be termed a half cocked or partly Under such circumstances the piston 36 will be substantially midway in the cylinder 31, and the top edge of lever 3| will be sufficiently below the slot 2| so as not to interfere wtih the insertion and seating of the clip 28 therein. Accordingly an opportunity is then afforded the operator of the toy for the free use of both hands to fold the parachute back and forth in the conventional manner of pleating commonly practiced by parachute jumpers, and place it in the recess 4, and complete the pack by wrapping the flaps about the parachute, the insertion of flap 21 being the last step in the sequence. Clip 28 can then be inserted and the step 30 hooked over the rim of the slot 2|'. 'I'he clip 28 has a tip 28 of suflicient length to overlie the plane in which lever 3| moves, and thus constitutes a trigger adapted to be engaged and tripped by lever 3| during the latter part of the upward movement of piston 36.

Means are also provided for manually holding th-e mechanism in a fully cocked position, as in Figure 3, until such time as the toy may bey released to begin its upward flight.

The mechanism for both of these purposes consists of a latch lever 50 within the doll, which may be pivoted to the plate 2|, but which is herein shown as pivoted at 5| to the front wall of the body The lower end of lever 5) extends into the hollow legs I3 of the doll, and has an ear 52 which projects outwardly through a slot 53 in the side wall of one of the legs I3. The upper end 54 of lever 50 has a bevelled head 55 to facilitate the aforesaid latching operation, and the inner edge of the lever beneath the head is cut back to provide a shoulder 56. Beneath shoulder 56 there is provided a saw tooth 51 having oppositely sloping edges 51 and 51".

The end 3 of lever 3| is bent at a right angle inwardly so as to extend across the plane in which the latch lever 50 moves. A coil spring 58, one end of which is secured to the doll and the other end to lever 50, above pivot 5|, urges the lever into the position shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 3.

It will now be apparent that lever 50 may be manually rocked on its pivot 5| by pressing on the ear 52, and that if lever 3| is also rocked with the other hand, an engagement of these parts may be elected in which shoulder 56 will overlie the end 3|" resulting in partly cooking the mechanismyand that such position of the parts will be maintained under the tension of spring 4| which obviously exceeds the power of spring 58.

After the packing of the parachute has been completed while the mechanism is in the position shown in Figure 1, the operator simply lifts the end 3| of lever 3| to the position shown in full lines in Figure 3 while grasping the legs of the doll with the other hand, thus pressing against the ear 52 and effecting an engagement of the end 3| of lever 3| with the surface 51 of lever 50. Lever 3| is thus manually held in a position in which the mechanism is fully cocked. During the aforesaid movement of lever 3|, the sloping edge 51 of tooth 51 is first engaged by the end 3| to thereby rock lever 5D slightly so that surface 51" may be engaged.

Well known means for shooting the toy into the air, such as a stick with a rubber band attached, may then be utilized by hooking the band under the chin of the dolls head. Upon stretching the band by grasping the stick with one hand and the legs of the doll with the other, and then releasing the grip on the legs, lever 50 will be immediately retracted by the urge of the spring 58, and in consequence thereof lever 3| will be freed to be moved by spring 4|, and the piston 36 will simultaneously start moving slowly upwardly in the cylinder 31, thus always ensuring the beginning of the timing movement of the mechanism at precisely the beginning of the flight of the toy.

The time required for the piston to reach its uppermost position in the cylinder 31 should substantially correspond to the interval of time required for the toy to reach its maximum height in the air. At such time the lever 3| will engage and release the clip 28, and the flaps will thereupon spring open and allow the parachute to fall outwardly, the sloping walls |5 and i6 providing an easier exit.

Should manufacturing tolerances cause variations in the degree of time required for the piston to reach the top of its stroke and thus cause the parachute to be released too early or too late, as the case may be, the spring 4| may be shifted to one of the notches 40 that is either nearer to or more remote from pivot '32,in order to counteract `such a condition. In 'the rstinstance the leverage would then be lessy favorable to the spring 4l, so that the time interval would `be increased, and in the second instance, the reverse ouldoccur and lever 3I'Would be rocked more rapidly to shorten theftime interval.` f

` Referring to the modified form ofthe invention shown in Figures (i, 7 and 8, itfwill be noted that the cylinder 31, together `with `piston rod 35 `and piston 36, havebeen mounted on the plate 2l `in a reversed position so that the pivot 38 is now adjacent the top thereof. A lever 60 is provided in place'of lever 3l, which-is loosely pivoted to the plate 2l at 6 I, andalso to the piston rod 35 'as at 62. i Lever Ellis providedwithan'end?, which extendsthrough afslot 64 in the lower sidewall of the body I I just above the legs I3, aridis'syuitably bent to provide a tip 65 for convenient en-` gagementby the thumb cfa hand, so that lever 60 may be thereby manually rocked in order to depress the piston 36; and in consequence thereof stretch spring 4I, following whichthe parts will be in the'pos'ition shown in Figure *6.

VA slot 66, similar to slot 2|',"is located adjacent the lower end of' plate 2|,` and the clip 28 is attached to the outer extremityfof flap 26 instead of ilap 21, because in this form of the invention flap 26 will be the last'in sequence to be wrapped about the folded parachute to complete the loading of thepack.

It will be apparent that when the toy is projected `from a hand as by the means described, and with the parts in the position shown in full lines in Figure 6, lever 60 now free "of the hand will be actuated by spring 4I, and move slowly under theretardingeffect of the piston36, until the parts `assume theposition shown in dot and dash lines. Just prior t reaching'such position,

lever 60 will engage the clip 28 andpush it down- 'wardly, thereby effecting a disengagement of same with the top edge of slot E6, so that flap 26 together with all the other flaps lying beneath same `'will be free to allow the vparachute to spring out of the pack, It will be understood that'the timing of the mechanism corresponds to that shown in the preceding figures of the drawings, and that leverl 6U may also be provided with the notches 40 forthe purpose alreadydescribed.'

In order to load the vpack 23 vandinser't the clip 28 in the slot BB withthe more convenient use of both hands, means are provided for independ ently holding lever 60 "in an intermediate position in which it cannot interfere with the clip.` For `this purpose an ear 61 is struck out of the plate 2I-andbent upwardly to provide a hook adapted to be engaged by the inner end 68 of lever 60. After the loading of the pack has been completed and clip 28 has been positioned in the slot 66, lever 60 may be fully depressed and held by the grasp of the operator until the toy is projected.

Upon the return movement of lever 6D during the flight of the toy, no re-engagement with the ear B1 can occur because the pivotal connections of the parts are loose, and spring 4I, being offset at an angle, tends to pull the end 63 toward plate 2| (Figure 7) thereby causing the end E8 to tilt away from the plateV and the ear 61. Obviously the reverse must take place when it is desired to latch the lever over and into engagement with the ear 61. This maybe readily accomplished by a crosswise tilting of the lever as it is 'rocked by a v thumb on its" pivot 6| against the urge `of the spring 4 l.

The structure shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 proofthe head l2 leading into the hollow interiorl of the body, and knotted to prevent their withdrawal.

It is obvious that other modiiications may suggestfthemselves to persons'skilled in the art, and be employed `to secure substantially the vsame re sults without departing from thespirit of my invention. Therefore the foregoing description is illustrative and not intended as limiting the invention thereto. Changes in details of construction which are simply matters of form of design are to be considered Within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a toy of the kind described havinga para- V chute attached thereto, and a pack with flaps for enclosing the parachute when the same is folded,'mechanism operative to open said pack at approximately the end of the upward flight of said toy into the air, including a lever for holding parts of said mechanism under tension in a cocked position when the toy is grasped by a hand, and being adapted to automatically release said parts at substantially thebeginning of said night when the toy is projected from a hand.l

2. In a toy of the kind described having a parachute attached thereto, and a pack with flaps for enclosing the parachute when the same is folded, mechanism operative to open said pack during the flight of said toy, including alever for holding parts of said mechanism under tension in a cocked position when the toy is grasped by a hand, and being adaptedr to automatically release said parts substantially at the beginning of sai-d flight when the toy is projected from a hand, and means forming a part of said mechanism effective for changing the timing thereof toadvance or delay theopening of said pack.

3. In `a toy of the kind described having a parachute attached thereto, and a pack with iiaps for enclosing the parachute When the same is foldedmechanism operative to open said pack at approximately the end of the upward Hight "of said toy into the air, including a lever for holding parts ofsaid mechanism under tension in a cocked position'when the toy is grasped by a hand, and spring means for automatically retracting said lever to release said parts at substantially the beginningof said flight when the toy is projected from ahand.

4. In a toy of the kind described having a parachute attached thereto, and a pack with aps for enclosing the parachute when the same is folded, mechanism operative to open said pack at approximately the end of the upward flight of said toy into the air, including latching means for maintaining parts ofsaid mechanism under tension in a partly cocked position during the loading of said parachute in said pack, and further means fcr holding said parts under greater tension in a fully cocked position when the toy is grasped by a hand, and being adapted to automatically release said parts at substantially the beginning of said flight when the toy is projected from a hand. l

5. In a toy of the kind described having a parachute attached thereto, and a pack with aps for enclosing the parachute When the same is folded, mechanism operative to open said pack during the iiight of said toy, including a lever for holding parts of said mechanism under tension in a cocked position when the toy is grapsed by a hand, and means for adjusting said tension to advance or delay the opening of said pack.

6. In a toy of the kind described having a parachute attached thereto, and a pack for enclosing the parachute when the same is folded, means for securing the pack in a closed position, mechanism for automatically opening said pack at a predetermined time during the flight of said toy comprising a cylinder, a piston and piston v rod for retarding the return movement of the mechanism, and a cocking lever connected to said piston rod adapted to trip said pack securing means, and to be manually actuated to move the piston in one direction, spring means for urging said piston in the opposite direction, and means for latching said cocking lever in an intermediate position during the loading of said pack, and adapted to be manually held in advance of such position when the toy is grapsed by a hand.

7. In a toy of the kind described having a parachute attached thereto, and a pack for enclosing the parachute when the same is folded, means for securing the pack in a closed position,

mechanism for automatically opening said pack l at a predetermined time during the flight of said toy comprising a cylinder, a piston and piston rod, and a cocking lever connected to said piston rod adapted to trip said pack securing means, and to be manually actuated to move the piston in one direction, spring means for urging said piston in the opposite direction, a latch lever adapted to engage said cocking lever and hold same in an intermediate position during the loading of said pack, and also adapted to hold said cocking lever in an advanced position when the toy is grasped by a hand, and spring means for retracting said latching levez' to automatically release said cocking lever When the toy is projected from a hand.

8. In a toy of the kind described having a parachute attached thereto, and a pack for enclosing the parachute When the same is folded, means for securing the pack in a closed position, mechanism for automatically opening said pack at a predetermined time during the flight of said toy comprising a cylinder, a piston and piston rod, and a cocking lever connected to said piston rod adapted to trip said pack securing means,

and to be manually actuated to move the piston in one direction, spring means for urging said piston in the opposite direction, a latch lever pivoted to said toy, and one end of which projects from same adjacent its lower extremity, andv the other end of Which is provided with means for effecting an engagement With said cocking lever when the same is advanced to an intermediate position during the loading of said pack, and also for holding said cocking lever in a further advanced position when said latch lever is manually held while the toy is grasped by a hand.

9. In a toy of the kind described having a parachute attached thereto, and a pack for enclosing the parachute when the same is folded, means for securing the pack in a closed position, mechanism operative to automatically open said pack at a predetermined time during the flight of said toy comprising a cylinder, a piston and piston rod for retarding the return movement of said mechanism, and a cocking lever for effecting relative movement of the piston within the cylinder in one direction to cock said mechanism, spring means for urging said parts in the opposite direction, and a lever provided with means adapted to hold said mechanism under the tension of said spring means when said lever is actuated by grasping the toy in a hand, and to release said mechanism when the toy is projected from a hand.

10. In a toy of the kind described having a parachute attached thereto, and a pack for enclosing the parachute When the same is folded, means for securing the pack in a closed position, mechanism operative to automatically open said pack at a predetermined time during the ight of said toy comprising a cylinder, a piston and piston rod for retarding the return movement of said mechanism, and a cocking lever for effecting relative movement of the piston Within the cylinder in one direction to cock said mechanism, spring means for urging said vparts in the opposite direction, and a lever provided with means for latching said mechanism under the tension of said spring means during the loading of said pack, and provided With further means adapted to subsequently hold said mechanism under said tension when said lever is actuated by grasping the toy in a hand, and to release said mechanism when the toy is projected from a hand.

FRANK HAMMOND. 

